1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to door latch assemblies, and particularly to a hands-free door opener assembly that permits hands-free operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well established that the spread of infectious diseases between humans is frequently due to interaction by touch. The bacteria and/or viruses are picked up by the hand(s) and are transmitted to the mouth or nose, simply by touch. Retail establishments sometimes provide antiseptic wipes so that a customer may wipe down apparatus or hardware in an effort to allay transmission of harmful bacteria and/or viruses. The aforementioned harmful bacteria and viruses are known to be prevalent on the door handles of public restrooms, hospitals, restaurants, theaters, etc. The sight of a person attempting to avoid hand contact with a door handle in these facilities is a frequently observed phenomenon. There have been many attempts in the related art, aside from the provision of antiseptic wipes, to prevent a user from contacting a contaminated door handle. Handles requiring insertion of a wrist or forearm have proven to be operationally cumbersome. Doors that employ foot pedal manipulation to open are expensive to install. The industry would certainly welcome a relatively inexpensive opening system that requires only minimal push contact by the forearm to open the door, thereby avoiding the need to touch the handle with the hand. Thus, a hands-free door opener assembly solving the aforementioned problems is desired.